Laughter is the Best Medicine
by The Spore Whore
Summary: After sucessfully brining back Sasuke, Naruto leaves with Jiraya to train for 3 years. Now he's back and so are his problems. [ItaNaru, check profile for important update info!]
1. Returning Home

**A/N**: This is my first Naruto fic, be gentle XD. (this chapter was edited and resubmitted, sorry if it caused inconvenience)

**Disclaimer:** I don't own Naruto or any of the characters… I can dream though, right TT?

**WARNING, THIS MAY CONTAIN : ** Swearing, violence, yaoi/shonen ai/what ever you call it, and traces of peanuts.

**PAIRINGS:** I really don't know the pairings yet as I need to get a bit more into the story but I promise there will be ITANARU. If you guys want other pairings or have suggestions on the main pairing don't hesitate to suggest though I am leaning towards ItaNaru. (Vote for them in your reviews n.n)

**LEGEND:**

**>>>>SCENE CHANGE/P.O.V. CHANGE>>>>**

"Talking"

'_Thinking'_

**"Kyuubi talking in Naruto's head"**

_**'Kyuubi thinking in Naruto's head'**_

**CHAPTER 1** - **Returning Home:**

The noon sun hung lazily in the sky as two figures approached the looming gates of Konoha.

"Eh! Ero-senin, we're almost at Kohona! Hurry it up!" The blonde, and shorter of the two shouted and stopped to wait for the other.

"Damnit, Naruto!" The older one growled as he caught up to the Blonde at his own pace. "The damned city isn't going anywhere! Slow down or I'll beat your ass!"

The blonde, now revealed to be Naruto, turned his back to the old man and let out a huff of frustration. "You're old age is getting to you… Legendary Sannin my ass… Stupid Ero-senin…" Naruto continued to mumble to himself but waited for the old frog hermit.

_'That's Jiraya to you, you ungrateful whelp!'_ Jiraya thought angrily finally catching up to the annoyed blonde.

They finally reached the gates of their hometown, with Naruto still mumbling about Jiraya's slowness. The two guards halted them at the front gates.

"Please show identification and state your reasons for your visit." Stated the darker haired guard monotonously.

"I am Jiraya! The most talented ninja of the legendary 3 Sanin, and the writer of the famous book 'Come, Come Paradise' which you all have heard of by now…" Jiraya announced, proudly waving his ID card in the guards' faces.

The two guards seemed surprised and a little impressed but Naruto just looked at him like he was a raving, perverted lunatic… and he was…

"And you?" Asked the other guard, a female with short mouse brown hair.

"Uzumaki Naruto… I've come back from training with Ero-senin" Naruto said, saying the last part more to himself then to the guard.

Naruto had gone off to train with Jiraya after he had brought Sasuke back successfully from Orochimaru 3 years ago. He left almost immediately after he half dragged Sasuke's sorry ass back to the city so he never really had time to talk to Sasuke about they're unpleasant encounter. Though in the end it had been Naruto's stubbornness that had made Sasuke come back, the fight had not been a pleasant one. Now 16, 3 years later, Naruto was feeling nervous, not just to see Sasuke, but all his other friends as well.

Naruto showed the guards his ID card and a disappointed look crossed both of they're faces. Like they where disappointed that Naruto had come back at all. Yes, it was a look Naruto was very familiar with.  
Naruto's eye's flickered a bit. Being away from this town for 3 years had dulled his defenses to their cold glares and harsh words.  
Jiraya cast Naruto a concerned glance. He knew that Naruto had a short temper and a loudmouth sometimes, but he hoped that the villagers wouldn't set him off on a verbal rampage.

"Very well, you may enter…" The guards said reluctantly and signaled for the gate to be opened.

It took a few seconds for the gate to open but soon Naruto and his sensei where once again walking the streets of their hometown of Kohona.

"Well kid, I have to in and report to Tsunade-_sama_ about our trip. See you later brat." Jiraya said, adding the 'sama' onto Tsunade's name almost mockingly.

Jiraya walked off to the Hokage tower, probably going to get a few drinks be for he reached Tsunade's office.

Naruto sighed, not quite knowing what to do with him self. He had been moving around for the past 3 years and the thought of a sudden permanent place of residence didn't appeal to the blue-eyed wonder. The crowds of the streets where beginning to bother him, the glares more than the lack of space to walk. Despite him being away for 3 years the blonde hair, blue eyes and whisker like scars on either cheek where a dead give away for who he was—err… is.  
Deciding to take the scenic route, Naruto jumped atop the nearest building, using the roofs of the clustered buildings as a walkway.

He made his way to Ichiraku Ramen, more on instinct more than anything else. Naruto speed upon the roofs noticing the old hags features carved in stone along with the other previous Hokages. Smiling to himself he jumped off of a shorter building, onto a less crowed street, and traveled the rest of the way to his favorite Ramen stand on foot and at a slow pace.

**>>>>>Tsunade's Office>>>>>**

"Sakura, I appreciate your help today. It was very— noble of you." The elder of the two women said.

"It was…my…. Pleasure Tsunade-sensei…." The young pink haired girl named Sakura gasped as she placed a rather large stack of paper on her teacher's desk.

Tsunade smiled and sat at her desk. It was more like Tsunade had helped the poor girl, as Sakura had done most of the work. It was also supposed to be Sakura's day off, but she had managed to guilt the girl into doing her work.  
A soft knock on the door snapped Sakura out of her exhaust-educed daze as she stood to answer the door on instinct.

"Yo!" said Jiraya as he entered the room. "I see Tsunade has been exploiting her young student. She already has you answering doors. Can you do any other tricks?"

Jiraya dodged a punch from both the pink haired menace and the blonde leader.  
He lifted his hands in defeat. He almost smiled as the realization crossed both of their faces. Like they had finally put two and two together.

"So if you're back… then Naruto is back as well?" Sakura was the first to ask.

"Yes, yes. I left him to his own devices and headed here. He's probably getting something to eat by now." Jiraya laughed, remembering that was the first thing Naruto always did when he got to a new place. "You should probably check out that little ramen shack he was always visiting."

Sakura nodded and turned to her sensei, waiting for a response.

"Yes, you may go." Tsunade waved the teen off and watched her eagerly walk out of the door to see her old friend.

"Are you here to report on your trip with Naruto?" She inquired as the door clicked closed behind the medical-nin in training.

"Yeah I am. All in all nothing big happened. Naruto has definitely grown to be quite strong, definitely at chuunin level by now." Jiraya stated proudly.

"There's something else isn't there?" Tsunade asked, usually Jiraya was more explanatory in his reports.

"Well… yes there is…" Jiraya said.

_'__I knew it'_ Tsunade thought

"I have reason to believe that the organization known as the Akatsuki may make an attempt to capture Naruto in the near future." Jiraya said bitterly. "The Akatsuki have been very active these past couple months…"

"I see… So that's why you bought Naruto back here 3 months early…" Tsunade mused.

She had heard previously from Jiraya him self that he and Naruto would not be returning to Kohona for a few more months.

"Yes, I was beginning to get nervous. I have no problem being able to defend Naruto from two Akatsuki members long enough to escape… But I was afraid, because of the organizations recent restlessness that they might do something drastic." Jiraya shifted his feet. His left foot was falling asleep.

"Strength in numbers, eh?" Tsunade smiled knowingly. For Jiraya to get nervous about the Akatsuki… they must really be acting up. "They still might try something you know."

"I know that, but the odds are against them if they do try something." He nodded, smiling at his own brilliance.

"Of course you're right. You're going to be placing Naruto back in Kakashi's care then?" Tsunade asked.

Jiraya simply grunted in confirmation.

An annoying knocking sounded, officially ended the little meeting between the two former team mates, as two jounin entered the office with a small stack of paper work.

"I see you have work to do." Jiraya smiled teasingly. "Another time Hokage-sama. I'm off to 'collect data'. "

With a book barely missing his face Jiraya disappeared in a puff of smoke.

**>>>>Somewhere in Town>>>>**

Sakura speed walked through the small crowds that filled the wide streets of the hidden leaf village. There where many new looking buildings littering this part of the city. This was the part of the city that had been hit pretty bad during the Sound invasion and most of the buildings had to be completely replaced. In other parts of town there was less drastic changed as a result of that unfortunate encounter with the Sound. Some buildings had another floor added, or new rooms. While other buildings had something as minimal as a new paint job. Either way, someone who had lived here their entire life would be able to see the little changes here and there.

Sakura was walking in almost the complete opposite of Ichiraku Ramen. She was, in fact heading for the Uchiha district of town. When she had learned that Naruto had returned to town the first thing that she had thought of was not going to see the loud blonde, but to notify all of his friends, especially a certain raven haired teen.

Reaching the Uchiha district Sakura skipped up to Sasuke's house. She knew the way to his house by heart and could probably reach it blindfolded. Sakura had visited the stoic genius many times over the three years Naruto had been gone and the two had become closer friends.

_'Sigh, all these years of devotion and I still can't get past the damn 'friend' barrier.'_ Sakura though.

She hopped up to the front door and knocked gingerly on the door, using a small rhythm she always used when she knocked on the boy's door, to let him know it was her visiting and not one of his fan girls. Though after the fight with the Sound Sasuke's fan girls had dropped in numbers. Even that damn Ino was out of the picture.

After a couple seconds there was the scrapping of a chair being pushed across a wood floor, the rhythmic patter of sock feet and the turn of a doorknob.  
Sasuke stood in the doorway of his home and looked at Sakura. It wasn't the 'I'm-To-Good-For-You' look. No, Sasuke had stopped that a while ago. Though he didn't openly smile, laugh, or show much emotion he wasn't a stuck up bastard who cared nothing for his friends. That chapter in his life had passed when Naruto had brought Sasuke back from Orochimaru. But he was a bit more open to others, and Sakura was thankful for that.

"What is it?" Saskue asked.  
"I thought Tsunade would have you doing her paper work for the rest day."

A smirk made its way onto his features as Sakura crossed her arms, obviously annoyed.

"I just wanted to tell you that Jiraya's back in town… so that means that…" Sakura trailed off letting Sasuke piece the rest of it together.

"So Naruto's back in town is he?" Sasuke said.

There was obvious hesitation in his voice, a kind of nervousness. Sakura could completely understand why. He had barely been able to see Naruto after that 'incident'. It was a kind of unspoken rule between the friends that they wouldn't talk about that and Sakura was perfectly fine with it.

"I just though you'd like to be the first one to know." Sakura smiled "Want to come and help me look for him? Starting at Ichiraku's of course."

"Thanks, " Sasuke smiled. "Yeah, lets go look for the dobe."

On the way to Ichiraku's Naruto made his way to the ramen stand slowly. He walked most of the way there looking up at the clouds, they where very pretty clouds. But as usual Naruto should have been paying more attention to where he was going, rather than the clouds. There was a chorus of 'Oof's' as Naruto bumped into two people.

"Watch where you're going stupid!" A feminine voice yelled.

"How bothersome…." Said a rather annoyed voice.

Naruto looked up from the ground, which his butt was now firmly planted on.

"Eh? Shikamaru, Ino! Long time no see." Naruto laughed, his had going to the back of his head nervously.

"Is… that you Naruto?" the pale blonde girl called Ino asked.

"Err… yeah…" Naruto answered, brushing the dust off his butt as he stood up.

Shikamaru just grunted in confirmation, then let out a sigh of annoyance.

"When did you get back?" The dark haired chuunin asked.

"Just a couple minutes ago." Naruto said

"I see. Heading to Ichiraku?" Ino asked.

Naruto just nodded.

The two Naruto had bumped into looked at the blonde curiously. He was being rather-- quite, I guess you could say. No loud out bursts. No loud bragging about his special training. They where even able to carry a decent conversation with Naruto, if only for a short time.

Ino was busy looking the boy over her self, not that she was interested. Naruto had definitely gotten taller; he was almost a head above Shikamaru. His face had definitely matured, though it still held a boyish charm. He still had his blue eyes; she had not really expected that to change. He was wearing a new outfit that was just as annoyingly orange, but it looked better than his old one. And his forehead protector was different from his old one.  
Shikamaru had also noticed that Naruto had grown taller than him, but nothing more.

Naruto had also noticed the changed in his friends. Shikamaru looked almost the exact same. He was probably too lazy to have changed his look. Ino was wearing purple outfit, though it was a bit different from her old one… though, thinking back, Naruto couldn't remember what kind of outfit she used to wear. He had never paid attention to the girl, except when she was screaming and arguing with Sakura over Sasuke.

_'Ugh.. Sasuke...'_ Naruto though. He was thinking of the last time he and Sasuke had seen each other. Thinking about it now he really didn't want to confront the boy after 3 years.

"Are you okay Naruto? You seem really quite." asked Ino.

Shikamaru was curious about his quite behavior as well, he was just to lazy to ask.

"Oh, really?" Naruto laughed. "Well I guess it's because I've been on my own mostly for a while. Ero-senin would just tell me what to do for training and walk off some where to go 'gather data' and leave me to my own devices..."

_'Stupid Ero-senin.'_ Naruto grumbled.

"Ero-senin? You mean Jiraya?" Ino asked

Naruto nodded.

"Well I guess I better get going. I can hear the ramen calling my name." Naruto laughed and walked past the two.

"See you later Naruto!" Ino called after him.

Shikamaru 'hmph-ed' and began walking in the direction they had previously been walking in.

Once again left to his own devices Naruto began to close the distance between him and his favorite Ramen stand.  
The Ichiraku's was probably 1 minute away when he noticed pink hair in the crowd just ahead. Naruto of course knew who it was and picked up his speed to catch up to Sakura. When he got closer he also noticed that Sasuke was walking closely behind her. Naruto consciously slowed his pace a bit, he wanted to deal the inevitable as long as he could, which wasn't very long.

"Naruto!" Sakura called out, having spotted the blonde when she had turned around to see if Sasuke was still behind her.

Sasuke also turned around to follow his friends gaze and saw Naruto. He smirked and waved to his friend.  
Naruto was a bit surprised at his stoic friends behavior but he ran over to the two anyways.

"Oh! Sakura, Sasuke! I didn't expect to see you yet." Naruto called as he ran over to them.

"We where just on our way to see if you where at Ichiraku's" Sakura informed him whe he reached them.

"You knew I was in town?" Naruto asked.

"Jiraya told me when he came to talk to Tsunade. Oh yeah, that reminds me. I'm Tsunade's student now. I'm training to be a medical-nin." Sakura said happily.

"That's great Sakura." Naruto said enthusiastically.

"How was your training? Get any stronger?" Sasuke asked

"You better belive it! I could probably beat your ass." Naruto exclaimed.

"We'll see..." Sasuke smirked.

Needless to say Naruto was feeling a bit better about coming back to town to see his friends. He has expected Sasuke to be all quite and avoid him, like that time when he had saved Naruto's life in the Wave Country. But talking to Sasuke now, it kinda felt like old times.

"Well I'm hungry. Lets hurry up and get to Ichiraku's. I've been stopped twince now and I don't wanna wait any longer!" Naruto smiled and continued walking on.

Naruto thought he head Sasuke say something that sounded alot like 'typical'.

"Fine Naruto...but you're paying." Sakura said and followed him.

"Fine." Naruto pouted, yep, he definately felt much happier.

Sasuke just sighed and shoved his hands in his pockets, but he followed too.

** >>>>At Ichiraku>>>> **

Naruto, Sakura and Sasuke had already ordered they're ramen. Saukra and Sasuke had ordered one bowl of beef ramen each while Naruto had ordered 5 bowls of miso ramen.

"So what did you guys do while I was gone?" Naruto asked as they waited for they're order.

"Nothing much for me. I've just been training with Tsunade-sensei mostly. I've got the odd mission here and there but nothing big has happened." Sakura said.

"What about you Sasuke?" Naruto asked and turned his gaze to the Uchiha.

"I've been training with Kakashi-sensei but other than that nothing much." Sasuke answered, not even bothering to look back at Naruto.

_'Hm.. Saukra and I have both had training with a legendary Sannin. I guess I'm just glad that Sasuke didn't recieve training from the only other remaining Sannin out there.'_ Naruto shuddered at the thought of Orochimaru.

"Here you go." the owner of Ichiraku's said and gave them they're ramen.

"Finally!" Naruto smiled and practically inhaled his first bowl of ramen.

Sakura sweatdroped and Sasuke just looked at Naruto funny.

"What?" Naruto asked seeing they're faces.

"How can you eat like that?" Sakura asked

"How can you eat that much?" Sasuke asked as Naruto began his second bowl.

"I dunno... I guess I use up alot of engery doing whatever I've been doing. Plus my stomache is practically a bottomless pit." Naruto joked, but Sakura and Sasuke could probably believe it.

"So do you guys still do missions together?" Naruto asked between mouthfuls of ramen.

"Not really, not since we became chuunin anyways." Sakura said.

Naruto nearly chocked on his food,

"You guys are chuunin?" Naruto yelled.

"You make it sound like its a bad thing." Saskue said.

"Well its just..." Naruto trailed off.

"Actually Naruto, you're one of the only people who arn't chuunin. Even Choji and Ino are chuunin." Sakura said.

"Ah." Naruto said, this was a bit of a blow to his ego.

There was no doubt that Naruto was as strong or as capable as a chuunin, but he didn't have the title and that means that if he wanted to get it he would have to take the chuunin test by himself.

"But how will I get to take the chuunin exams again? I mean, I don't exactly have a team to enter with now that you guys are already chuunin." Naruto pouted as he began his fourth bowl of ramen, he had been eating during the conversation.

"You'll probably get paired up with two other genin. Me and Sasuke were paired up with a genin when you wern't here." Sakura explained.

Naruto just grumbled something about not needing any stupid just-out-of-the-academy genin and returned to fininshing off his ramen.

Sakura just smiled, Naruto really didn't change at all. And she went back to finishing off her ramen.

**End Chapter 1--**

_Kind of Imporant - read please_

There my first chapter! I'm glad I finally go that out of my system. But now I have to start on chapter 2, not that its a bad thing...

I don't really have a plot yet. I kinda just know all the obstecles on the way. Naruto has to pass the chuunin exams, Orochimaru is probably still after Sasuke now that it's been 3 years and then there is the whole Akatsuki thing. If you guys have any ideas on what could happen that you've always wanted to see in a fic don't hesitate to tell me, I need the ideas x.x... well.. I don't need them, It'd just be helpful nn

I dont' really know when I'll update as the end of the school year approaches and exams come up. I'll try to update once everyother week. If I don't update then please don't hesitate to bug me by emailing me to update... as I may forget...

**PLEASE REVIEW!**

Thanks


	2. Replaced Furniture

**A/N:** Well here's another chapter.

I know many of you are looking forward to the ItaNaru goodness, but I have bad news. That goodness won't come in for a while, probably in 5-6 chapters?.

Itachi isn't going to just waltz into Konoha and sweep Naruto off his feet. No, that is WAY too out of character for him.

Itachi will come in during or a bit before the chuunin exams. And even then I plan on building on their relationship before jumping in neck deep.(I don't even think you could call it a relationship in its earlier stages O.o) I'll build it based on their personalities, BOTH of their personalities.

Also, some of you might think that Naruto is already out of character, being so quite and all (and some of his attitude to come). But I want you to know that people CHANGE over the course of 3 years. And Naruto has practically been on his own for that time as he was left alone for training and the trip mostly consisted of training. Also Naruto has matured and is taking the whole ninja thing more seriously.

I've kept you from the story long enough! On with it!

**Disclaimer:** I don't own Naruto, what're the odds?

**Warning: **Nothing really in this chapter. Maybe the odd swear but nothing more than that (sorry guys)

**LEGEND:**

**>>>Scene Change/POV Change>>> **

"Talking"

_'Thinking'_

"**Kyuubi talking in Naruto's head"**

_**'Kyuubi thinking in Naruto's head'**_

Taijutsu – fighting technique

Genjutsu – illusionary technique

Ninjutsu – ninja technique

Bakuretsu Kage Bushin no Jutsu – Exploding shadow clone technique.

**CHAPTER 2: Replaced Furniture**

Naruto was aimlessly walking around town again. After Sakura and Sasuke had finished eating they had left to attend to their everyday duties. Sakura had to go home and help her mom and Sasuke said he had to train. Naruto thought he should go train too but they had told him not to.  
"You've been gone 3 years training! Your should at least take a day off to get yourself reacquainted with the town." Sakura had scolded him.

After some arguing and a couple lumps on his head Naruto had taken her advice and began walking. But that was all he had really done since he'd left; walk.

"Man, I really have no idea where I'm going. I still remember where most of the stuff is in this town. Well I still remember where to go to buy groceries, clothes, Ichiraku Ramen, and the training areas. Er, well not so much the last one." Naruto thought out loud.

Talking out loud had become a habit when Jiraya had left him alone to train. Naruto was naturally a loud person; even if he was with the toad ninja he could never carry a decent conversation with him. So the only person Naruto could talk to was himself. I guess you could call it a bad habit (Ero-senin did) but it was what Naruto did.

Actually, he had tried talking to the Kyuubi (he was that desperate for a conversation). It had been when Ero-senin had left him to practice bakuretsu kage bushin no jutsu. He would've probably gotten a better response out of a brick wall, or Sasuke, same difference.

**---Flashback---**

"Damn it!" Naruto cursed for the billionth time.

They, Naruto and Jiraya, had only been out of Konoha for a couple of weeks and this was the first technique since the rasengan that Jiraya taught him or rather shown him then left him on his own to figure out.

"Shitty teacher, shitty pervert, shitty ero-senin!" Naruto growled as he tended to a chakra burn on his fore arm.

Since Naruto had a natural talent for kage bushin Jiraya had decided that teaching him bakuretsu kage bushin would be the easiest thing for him to do, and thus the fastest.

They had recently stopped in a small lodging town, similar to the one where Naruto had first ran into the Akatsuki (Naruto involuntarily shuddered).

Naruto didn't quite grasp the whole exploding clones thing yet. He had no problem what so ever creating the clone. It was practically the same as a regular kage bushin. But in order for the clone to explode the chakra the clone contained had to be unstable enough to detonate. Sending, or having the clone itself trigger the reaction was difficult and Naruto had poor control over the amount of chakra he could put in the clone. So very often the clone would explode without warning and the explosion would either be too small or too large, hence the burns.

"I think… I need to talk to ero-senin about this…" Naruto panted as he lay on the ground to rest.

He had been at this for an hour and his chakra reserves where getting low. He didn't dare use the Kyuubi's chakra. No, that would be stupid, even for him.

Naruto winced as the burns began to heal themselves slowly, but quicker than a normal human. The cool ground underneath the tree was comforting too.

"I need a new outfit…" he was talking to himself again.

Indeed, his outfit was in crappier shape then he was.

'_I'm glad I hid my wallet from ero-senin. He would have a field day spending my hard earned cash while "collected data" '_ Naruto snorted.

He looked up at the sky and noticed that his vision was blurred and unfocused.

"Damn chakra depletion."

His chakra wasn't really dangerously low. But there wasn't a whole lot there plus he was very tired.

'_Maybe I should rest a bit'_ he thought.

And he indeed felt that it was the best idea. He then closed his eyes and fell asleep.

**>>>In Naruto's Head>>>**

_Drip… drip... drip…_

Naruto groaned and sat up.

_Drip… drip… drip…_

The annoying sound of a leaky faucet, or something, had stirred him awake, but he still felt rested.

His eyes immediately came into focus and he noticed his familiar surroundings. This was the same place he had been when Jiraya had 'accidentally' pushed him off the cliff before the chuunin matches.

This is where _it _resided.

Naruto had guessed that this was in his head, but right now he wasn't really thinking that way.

"I wonder why this place is always so god damned empty?" he mused, not really noticing that he had just insulted himself.

Since he was here, Naruto guessed that the great demon must've wanted a word with him so he began to walk down the long, dark corridor that lead to the bared doors that kept the great demon at bay.

The walk down the hall seemed to take longer then he remembered and the damp, dark and empty look and feeling was beginning to creep him out.

Soon the sound of intimidating pacing, clicking of claws on concrete and the swishing tails as they cut through the air greeted Naruto's ears. He quickened his pace to reach the gates and leave the dark hall behind.

The sounds abruptly ceased as Naruto came into the fox's view, his eyes focused on the annoying blond.

"**What do you want boy?"** The demon growled.

"What do I want? You where the one that called me here!" the short blond accused.

A barking laughed echoed in the emptiness of Naruto's subconscious.

"**You amuse me human, but I did not bring you here. I hold no control over your mind, nor can I influence it in any way. That damn toad-riding hokage did his homework when he created this god forsaken seal," **The Kyuubi spat. **" No, it was you who elected to come here. I can't do a damn thing behind these bars."**

"Oh, well…. Why would I want to come here?" Naruto asked stupidly.

"**Where else would you go when you're sleeping other then your mind?"** The Kyuubi mocked.

Naruto frowned. He hadn't really expected a murderous demon to be nice, but he didn't have to put up with this.

"I don't have to put up with this shit." Naruto growled back.

Another barking laugh bombarded his ears.

"Shut up damn it!" Naruto yelled

"**Then leave boy! What makes you think that I want you here? I'm not keeping you here and looking at your face is starting to pissing me off anyway!"** The demon snarled, going from amused to pissed off in nothing flat.

"Fine you ancient ass!" Naruto screeched and tried to will himself awake.

"**…."** The Kyuubi gave Naruto an annoyed look, Naruto wasn't gone yet.

"Shut up," Naruto growled though the demon hadn't said anything. "This is harder then it looks!"

The demon '**hmphed**' as Naruto tried again to force himself awake.

**---End Flashback---**

It had taken Naruto half an hour to wake up and all through that time the Kyuubi had given him the cold shoulder. Yes, the demon was indeed not something that Naruto could not get along with.

After the encounter Naruto had been in a foul mood for the rest of the week. But on the upside he managed to master bakuretsu kage bushin no jutsu by the end of it all.

Ah the good ol'days. Back then there was always something to do. Now Naruto was one bored person with nothing to do.

"For the past 3 years all I've done was eat, sleep and train. What else am I supposed to do?" He muttered as he kicked at the dirt.

He really didn't have anyone close that he could go visit. Everyone else was already chuunin anyways, they where probably on missions or doing paper work. Speaking of chuunins, Iruka would probably want to see him. Iruka always wanted to see Naruto (unless Naruto was in trouble, then he was usually in a sour mood) and since Iruka was an academy teacher he probably would be at the academy, not on a mission.

Now smiling, Naruto relaxed. His arms had been crossed and his brow furrowed in thought and memories, but the thought of seeing Iruka again was pleasing.

He turned on his heel and began to head in the direction of the academy, which lay in the opposite way he had originally been going in. With almost a skip in his step Naruto headed to the academy he had spent many wonderful, humiliating and boring days in.

/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/

Naruto had reached the academy in no time. He had taken a short cut he had discovered in his earlier years. After sleeping in for 3 weeks straight and being sick of being punished Naruto had found this short cut and was he ever glad he did.

The structure looked a lot smaller than Naruto remembered. He smiled again; this must mean he was taller. People knew that Naruto was shorter than most people, but not a lot of people knew that it was something that really ticked him off if they mentioned it in a negative way.

But back on subject now.

Pushing the doors open Naruto entered the hallway. It was quiet, school must've just ended.

Stopping to think for a moment Naruto tried to remember what class was it that Iruka had taught in. Thinking again, he hoped that Iruka hadn't already left. As Naruto passed the boys bathroom he suddenly remembered the way to the class. He had spent a few classes skipping out and staying in the washroom. Of course, that was until Iruka caught him and gave him a weeks worth of detention.

Changing his route Naruto walked towards a classroom door.

Hearing the shuffling of papers and the groan of annoyance Naruto assumed that Iruka was marking papers. He opened the door slowly, so not to alert the busy chuunin, Naruto walked in. The chuunin didn't notice, thankfully, and Naruto snuck up behind him, still the chuunin didn't notice him.

Now directly behind Iruka he covered the chuunin's eyes with his hands and said in the most mature voice he could muster:

"Guess who?"

The chuunin had stopped marking his papers as he could no longer see the papers and he smiled in amusement, then answered seriously:

"Kakashi?"

Kakashi? Why whould Iruka think that Kakashi would surprise him in the middle of the day and cover his eyes! (1)

"No!" Naruto said in his normal voice as he removed his hands.

Iruka whipped around to face Naruto, knocking over the chair in the process.

"N-Naruto!" His former sensei stuttered, obviously flustered over something.

"Well hello to you too. How've you been these past 3 years?" Naruto said in a flat tone.

"Oh, sorry. How've you been these last 3 years?" Iruka smiled apologetically.

Naruto huffed and crossed his arms.

"I've been fine. Training with ero-senin across the country. We left the country once or twice." He said in an angry tone that was obviously fake.

"That must've been exiting. Think your good enough to enter the chuunin exams?" Iruka asked as he sat back down in his chair, already knowing the answer.

"Pfft, of course!" Naruto exclaimed,no longer usingan angry tone.

"I thought so." Iruka laughed. "I've just been grading papers, teaching and I've been seeing--" he trailed off, a pink tint gracing his tanned face.

Not taking the hint Naruto asked:

"Seeing what?"

"Never mind, it's not important. Where did you go? Well, when you left the Fire Country?" His old sensei asked.

"Well, I went to the Wave Country and saw Inari…" Then seeing the questioning look Iruka gave him. "Inari was the grandson of the bridge maker Tazuna who we had to protect and escort to the Wave Country. It was my first C-class mission, though it turned out to be a B-class mission… long story."

Iruka nodded, a B-class mission, that had been impressive for a genin at that age. But then again, Naruto was always going head first into all sorts of dangerous missions.

Naruto smiled nostalgically. He had seen Tazuna, Tsunami(2) and Inari, but more importantly he had gone to visit Haku's and Zazuba's graves. He had worried that leaving two lone graves where they had that they might get vandalized. But he was relived to find them in perfect shape. Even Zazuba's sword hadn't even rusted, considering how damp and rainy that part of the Wave Counrty was. He later was surprised to find out that Inari and his family had come every now and then to pay their respects and make sure the graves where not disturbed. Dispite the fact that the two missing-nins had tried to take Tazuna's life the family had somehow heard about their story, and the fact that it was Zazuba who had killed Gatou.

"What kind of training have you been doing?" Iruka asked, breaking him out of his memories.

"Well, I've done some jutsu training, but ero-senin made me really work on my 'weaknesses' " Naruto pouted.

"Hn" Iruka said, waiting for him to elaborate.

"Besides the jutsu training he made me work on taijutsu, genjutsu….. and strategies" He explained.

It had been the hardest to get Naruto to strategize, he had to read book after book on it, then he had to apply what he had learned from the text to real life when Jiraya sprung surprise quizzes on him.

"Did you meet any _gilrs_ during your travels?" Iruka asked slyly.

"No. Well, besides the ones I had to run from when ero-senin would be caught in town while 'gathering data'" Naruto chuckled.

Iruka raised an eyebrow in amusement and curiosity. This sounded like a story that needed to be heard.

"And…?"

Naruto grinned from ear to ear.

"It all started when ero-senin insisted on staying in a hotel that was connected to an open bath house………"

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Iruka laughed again. The famous Jiraya he had hear about was definitely more fiction than he was fact. The person Naruto described sounded completely opposite.

Iruka had finished marking all of the papers halfway through Naruto's story. It had been a long story though, it had taken 3 hours to tell. But they had gotten side tracked every now and then talking about something else.

Whipping a tear from his eye Iruka began to pack his stuff up. It was already six o'clock in the evening. He had already missed dinner, or at least the time where he normally ate dinner.

"Well, its already late and I really should be getting home. It was nice to see you again Naruto." Iruka smiled.

"Yeah it was." Naruto grinned.

Iruka gathered everything he needed to take with him and left the empty class room with Naruto close at toe. He locked the door in silence and exited the building in the same fashion.

"So where are you going to go now?" He asked walking down the street.

"Well I was thinking of going to try and find everyone else, but I am pretty tired. Can you believe that ero-senin made me walk all the way here? Non-stop too. I'm actually thinking of heading home and—" Naruto abruptly stopped in mid sentence.

That was right. He didn't have a place to stay. He usually relied on Jiraya to find a hotel (usually near a bath house) then come and find him in the forest passed out from training and bring him back to sleep.

But now it was different. He would be staying here permanently. That would mean he would have an apartment to stay in.

He grimaced. He doubted that his old apartment was still available, or his stuff that he left there wouldn't be there now.

"Is something wrong?" Iruka asked, Naruto had been quite for some time.

"Oh, I just forgot that I have no place to stay." Naruto laughed sheepishly.

"That's all right. Your old apartment is still there. Hokage-sama kept it available for you all this time. Your stuff is still there… more or less"

Naruto didn't catch the last part.

"Really?" He said astonished.

"Yeah, I've kept it clean from dust too." Iruka smiled. "The key is hidden under the board of the fourth step."

"That's great! Well I'll be off!" Naruto exclaimed and hopped off.

Iruka waved good-bye to the fading figure and continued his own trek home.

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Naruto was grinning as he approached his apartment. It would be good to have a nice, familiar place to stay. Plus all the stuff he had left behind was still there.

Lifting up the board of the fourth step Naruto retrieved the key. Still grinning he walked up to the door to unlock it.

He stopped right in front of the door, his hand resting on the doorknob.

This was a new door, meaning this wasn't his old door, it had been replaced.

Dismissing the creeping uncertainty in the back of his mind Naruto shoved the key into the doorknob, turned it and walked into his old/new home.

He took off his shoes and placed them near the door. He took off his jacket and hung it up on a hook above his shoes.

He walked down the hallway across his blue carpet… wait… hadn't his carpet been white when he left? Dismissing it again Naruto walked into the kitchen to get himself something to eat. He was once again greeted by a similar oddity. The fridge was new. To confirm this he opened it and it was indeed different. He looked over at his table, it was new too.

He had carved his name into it when he was younger among other things which where now not even on the table surface.

Now paying attention to the sinking feeling he was getting he looked around.

'_Am I in the right place? Is this someone else's house?'_ He thought and looked around.

Nope, this was his place.

'_Maybe they just decided to get me new stuff. To welcome me back?'_ He hoped.

'_Then why didn't they replace your stove or cupboards?' _a little voice in his head questioned back.

Frowning even more Naruto left the kitchen forgetting about food and went into his small living room.

It was the same here. There was a new couch, a new TV set and some new videos that he hadn't even remembered owning in the first place.

The sinking feeling grew and he went to check his bedroom.

His bed was new too. The old one had wooden and he had also carved various things into it. But this one was a metal-framed one.

Naruto's heart sank into the pit that had developed in his stomach.

You only get new furniture when the old was no longer work, are out of date or…

'_Get vandalized? Destroyed?'_ that damn little voice again.

The door, the carpet, the fridge, his couch… it made sense.

Naruto shoulders slumped and he looked up at the picture of team 7 resting on his nightstand. He had to confirm it.

Picking up the frame he removed the picture and looked on the back. His suspicions where confirmed.

Where Kakashi, Sakura and even Sasuke had signed was empty, blank. This wasn't his picture.

It had been replaced. His furniture had been replaced. And stuff like this only gets replaced if its been destroyed.

Naruto suddenly didn't feel hungry. Naruto felt really tired right now.

Sighing Naruto made his way back to the living room. He flopped onto the couch and stared at the wall behind the couch. This sucked. He didn't feel happy at all. And that was when he noticed something behind the couch.

Moving the couch away from the wall Naruto inspected it. It was a burn mark, a large burn mark.That **definitely **hadn't been there when he left. There had probably been more expensive damage but the rest of it was painted over.

'_Great! So they trashed the place then torched it!'_ Naruto growled.

Yes, this definitely sucked.

Then he noticed something else. It looked like someone had tried to sand over it in an effort to erase it but given up. Naruto could still make out the writing that was carved into the wall right behind his wall. These words that haunted him.

He felt the sinking feeling return and all he wanted to do was close his eyes and forget these words.

"Monster. Demon. Murderer."

**End Chapter 2**

Bwahahahahahahah! It is done!

Sorry it took so long but summer vacation popped up and took be by surprise! I hope you enjoyed this chapter as much as I did, especially that last part. I know some of you guys are getting restless for some action, even I'm getting impatient. I'm going to have to have the rest of Naruto's old friends come in during the next chapter and his new genin team (which I have no idea what to do about O.o)

The chuunin exam will be taking place in 6-8 months in this story so I'll need to have some missions lined up for Naruto to pass the time. Suggestions welcomed!

I liked this chapter better than the last one. The first chapter started out a little shaky but got better.

(1)- Yes I was hinting at KakaIru X3

(2)- I can't really remember Inari's mother's name… oh well XP

**REVIEW PLEASE (Feed my ego! He's starving!)**


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